Stan C. Smith's Blog, page 20
July 26, 2022
Awesome Animal Fact: Inflatable Frog
Did you know some frogs and toads inflate with air to protect themselves? The champion of this strategy is the blunt-headed burrowing frog, which is often called the balloon frog. Why would this frog blow itself up into a balloon like this? Three reasons, really, and they all have to do with avoiding being eaten. First, by appearing larger when threatened, the frog has a better chance of scaring off predators (You know how they say to make yourself look bigger if you are ever confronted by a bear or mountain lion? Same concept for the frog). Second, because these frogs spend a lot of time in burrows, they can inflate to wedge themselves in tightly, making it difficult for a predator to pull them out. And third, becoming a big balloon makes it difficult or impossible for a predator, especially a snake, to swallow them.
Unfortunately, the blunt-headed burrowing frog is prized by humans as a tasty meal in its home range of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. People catch and eat so many of them that the frog species is now threatened. A popular Thai dish, these frogs are usually eaten barbecued. Yum.
Photo Credits:
- Blunt-headed burrowing frog - Rushen, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Unfortunately, the blunt-headed burrowing frog is prized by humans as a tasty meal in its home range of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. People catch and eat so many of them that the frog species is now threatened. A popular Thai dish, these frogs are usually eaten barbecued. Yum.
Photo Credits:
- Blunt-headed burrowing frog - Rushen, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
July 22, 2022
Awesome Animal Fact: Protected Sasquatch
Did you know Bigfoot is a protected species in Skamania County, Washington? Yep, I'm talking about Sasquatch, the elusive human-like creature that supposedly roams the remote wilderness of the northwest US. Sorry, believers, but the creature is overwhelmingly considered a myth. On April 1, 1969, Skamania County officials passed Ordinance number 6901, protecting the Bigfoot creature. Although this happened to be on April Fool's Day, it was not a joke.
So, why would a county (actually, there are two counties that have done this) protect a fictional creature? The answer lies within the text of the ordinance:
"WHEREAS, there is evidence to indicate the possible existence in Skamania County of a nocturnal primate mammal variously described as an apelike creature or a subspecies of Homo Sapian [sic]; ...and WHEREAS, publicity attendant upon such real or imagined sightings has resulted in an influx of scientific investigators as well as casual hunters, many armed with lethal weapons, and WHEREAS, the absence of specific laws covering the taking of specimens encourages laxity in the use of firearms and other deadly devices and poses a clear and present threat to the safety and wellbeing of persons living or traveling within the boundaries of Skamania County as well as to the creatures themselves, THEREFORE BE IT RESOVLED that any premeditated, willful and wanton slaying of any such creature shall be deemed a felony punishable by..."
So, perhaps part of the reason for the ordinance is, if the creature does exist it must surely be an endangered species. However, the main reason is to protect people. Which is a legitimate concern. After all, you don't want hunters out there trying to shoot a human-like creature in an area where numerous humans are wandering around looking for bigfoot.
Photo Credits:
- Bigfoot in a dark forest - DepositPhotos
So, why would a county (actually, there are two counties that have done this) protect a fictional creature? The answer lies within the text of the ordinance:
"WHEREAS, there is evidence to indicate the possible existence in Skamania County of a nocturnal primate mammal variously described as an apelike creature or a subspecies of Homo Sapian [sic]; ...and WHEREAS, publicity attendant upon such real or imagined sightings has resulted in an influx of scientific investigators as well as casual hunters, many armed with lethal weapons, and WHEREAS, the absence of specific laws covering the taking of specimens encourages laxity in the use of firearms and other deadly devices and poses a clear and present threat to the safety and wellbeing of persons living or traveling within the boundaries of Skamania County as well as to the creatures themselves, THEREFORE BE IT RESOVLED that any premeditated, willful and wanton slaying of any such creature shall be deemed a felony punishable by..."
So, perhaps part of the reason for the ordinance is, if the creature does exist it must surely be an endangered species. However, the main reason is to protect people. Which is a legitimate concern. After all, you don't want hunters out there trying to shoot a human-like creature in an area where numerous humans are wandering around looking for bigfoot.
Photo Credits:
- Bigfoot in a dark forest - DepositPhotos
July 19, 2022
Awesome Animal Fact - White Polar Bears?
Did you know polar bears have black skin, and their fur isn't really white? Yes, they appear white when you look at them, but the real story is somewhat complex, so let's take a closer look.
First, it's important to understand how we perceive color. A red stop sign appears red because the red paint absorbs all colors (wavelengths) except for red, which is reflected back to your eyes. The paint on a black car absorbs all colors, so no colors are reflected to your eyes. White paint, on the other hand, reflects all colors, and therefore looks white. This, of course, is why you stay cooler wearing white on a summer day, compared to wearing black.
Well, beneath a polar bear's thick fur is black skin. This helps the bear absorb sunlight, converting it into body heat.
Wait! Doesn't the bear's fur reflect all the sunlight, preventing the black skin from absorbing the light? Here's where things get interesting. A polar bear's fur isn't white at all! Each hair is hollow, and it basically has no pigment, like a miniature version of a transparent plastic straw. When sunlight hits the fur, the light goes through a complex scattering pattern and it hits the bear's black skin, warming the bear. Only a small amount of the light is reflected, and because sunlight is all colors—in other words, white—that's why we perceive polar bears to be white. If it wasn't for this complex scattering phenomenon, the bear's fur would appear transparent, and we would see the black skin when we look at a polar bear.
Photo Credits:
- Polar bear - DepositPhotos
First, it's important to understand how we perceive color. A red stop sign appears red because the red paint absorbs all colors (wavelengths) except for red, which is reflected back to your eyes. The paint on a black car absorbs all colors, so no colors are reflected to your eyes. White paint, on the other hand, reflects all colors, and therefore looks white. This, of course, is why you stay cooler wearing white on a summer day, compared to wearing black.
Well, beneath a polar bear's thick fur is black skin. This helps the bear absorb sunlight, converting it into body heat.
Wait! Doesn't the bear's fur reflect all the sunlight, preventing the black skin from absorbing the light? Here's where things get interesting. A polar bear's fur isn't white at all! Each hair is hollow, and it basically has no pigment, like a miniature version of a transparent plastic straw. When sunlight hits the fur, the light goes through a complex scattering pattern and it hits the bear's black skin, warming the bear. Only a small amount of the light is reflected, and because sunlight is all colors—in other words, white—that's why we perceive polar bears to be white. If it wasn't for this complex scattering phenomenon, the bear's fur would appear transparent, and we would see the black skin when we look at a polar bear.
Photo Credits:
- Polar bear - DepositPhotos
July 15, 2022
Awesome Animal Fact - Abundant Pigs
Did you know far more pigs are raised in China than any other country? As of April 2022, China farmers have 450 million pigs. In second place, the entire European Union has 140 million pigs. In third place, the United States has 74 million pigs. In 2022 China is projected to produce 51,000 metric tons of pork.
Why does China raise so many pigs? Well, pigs have played a significant role in the culture (and farming) of China for thousands of years. Initially, wild pigs would forage near human villages, and over a period of 8,000 years, as the human population grew, Chinese people gradually domesticated these pigs. They started putting them into pens near their dwellings, not just for the meat, but also to use them as garbage disposals and fertilizer producers. The people gradually bred them to grow faster and produce larger litters.
Europeans found that Chinese pigs were much better than their own pigs, and they bred the two types together, eventually creating most of the modern, high-production breeds that are raised all over the world today.
In China, pork is much preferred over beef, as the people consider the pork fat and the color of the meat to be superior. They consider the taste and smell to be sweeter and cleaner. Also, in China, pork has traditionally been served to celebrate culturally-significant events.
Chinese farmers are now building multi-level pig-raising facilities, some of which are twelve stories tall.
Photo Credits:
- Pig farm - DepositPhotos
Why does China raise so many pigs? Well, pigs have played a significant role in the culture (and farming) of China for thousands of years. Initially, wild pigs would forage near human villages, and over a period of 8,000 years, as the human population grew, Chinese people gradually domesticated these pigs. They started putting them into pens near their dwellings, not just for the meat, but also to use them as garbage disposals and fertilizer producers. The people gradually bred them to grow faster and produce larger litters.
Europeans found that Chinese pigs were much better than their own pigs, and they bred the two types together, eventually creating most of the modern, high-production breeds that are raised all over the world today.
In China, pork is much preferred over beef, as the people consider the pork fat and the color of the meat to be superior. They consider the taste and smell to be sweeter and cleaner. Also, in China, pork has traditionally been served to celebrate culturally-significant events.
Chinese farmers are now building multi-level pig-raising facilities, some of which are twelve stories tall.
Photo Credits:
- Pig farm - DepositPhotos
July 11, 2022
Awesome Animal Fact - Loud Howlers
Did you know the loudest land animal is the howler monkey? Trish and I have been lucky enough to see and hear howler monkeys in Belize and in Costa Rica. You can literally hear them several miles away as they call to each other.
Howlers often howl at each other in territory disputes. However, the males also use their raucous howls to attract mates. Perhaps you already know that, but I'm going to tell you a part of the story you may not know... the loudest male howler monkeys have the smallest testicles. Yep, that's right. Louder calls = smaller balls.
Studies have revealed that howler monkeys basically have two different types of social structures: 1. Single-male groups in which one male has a harem of a few females. 2. Larger, multi-male groups in which multiple males mate with multiple females.
The males in single-male groups have louder calls, yet they have smaller testicles (which produce fewer sperm cells). The males in larger, multi-male groups have softer calls, yet they have larger testicles (more sperm produced).
Why? Because males with louder voices are better able to convince females to join their harem... but, on a day-to-day basis they are not competing with other males to produce offspring with those females. Therefore they do not need excessively high sperm production.
And males with softer voices are not able to form their own harems, and they must compete with other males to produce offspring with the same group of females, therefore they benefit by having larger testicles that produce more sperm cells.
Aren't you glad you asked?
Photo Credits:
- Howler Monkey - DepositPhotos
Howlers often howl at each other in territory disputes. However, the males also use their raucous howls to attract mates. Perhaps you already know that, but I'm going to tell you a part of the story you may not know... the loudest male howler monkeys have the smallest testicles. Yep, that's right. Louder calls = smaller balls.
Studies have revealed that howler monkeys basically have two different types of social structures: 1. Single-male groups in which one male has a harem of a few females. 2. Larger, multi-male groups in which multiple males mate with multiple females.
The males in single-male groups have louder calls, yet they have smaller testicles (which produce fewer sperm cells). The males in larger, multi-male groups have softer calls, yet they have larger testicles (more sperm produced).
Why? Because males with louder voices are better able to convince females to join their harem... but, on a day-to-day basis they are not competing with other males to produce offspring with those females. Therefore they do not need excessively high sperm production.
And males with softer voices are not able to form their own harems, and they must compete with other males to produce offspring with the same group of females, therefore they benefit by having larger testicles that produce more sperm cells.
Aren't you glad you asked?
Photo Credits:
- Howler Monkey - DepositPhotos
July 7, 2022
Awesome Animal Fact - Kicky Ostriches
Awesome Animal Fact:
Did you know ostriches are capable of killing a lion? Ostriches, the tallest and heaviest living birds in the world, are generally herbivores, although they also eat small animals like lizards and insects. They aren't typically aggressive unless they feel threatened, but they often DO feel threatened, particularly during mating season, nesting season, and when the hatched babies are young. Therefore, they are considered unpredictable and often dangerous. In fact, several people are killed by ostriches every year, and even more are injured.
Ostriches are extremely aggressive when they feel threatened, or when their young are threatened. How can they be so dangerous? It's all in those long, muscular legs. Ostriches are capable of impressively powerful forward kicks. They have two toes on each foot, and the longest toe has a formidable claw, which can kill and/or disembowel a human or other large animal.
Don't get me wrong... as explained above, ostriches sometimes get the best of predators using their powerful kicks, BUT they're also often killed by predators. Sometimes they can escape simply by running, as these birds can run at up to 43 miles per hour (69 km/hr).
Photo Credits:
- Ostrich feet - DepositPhotos
Did you know ostriches are capable of killing a lion? Ostriches, the tallest and heaviest living birds in the world, are generally herbivores, although they also eat small animals like lizards and insects. They aren't typically aggressive unless they feel threatened, but they often DO feel threatened, particularly during mating season, nesting season, and when the hatched babies are young. Therefore, they are considered unpredictable and often dangerous. In fact, several people are killed by ostriches every year, and even more are injured.
Ostriches are extremely aggressive when they feel threatened, or when their young are threatened. How can they be so dangerous? It's all in those long, muscular legs. Ostriches are capable of impressively powerful forward kicks. They have two toes on each foot, and the longest toe has a formidable claw, which can kill and/or disembowel a human or other large animal.
Don't get me wrong... as explained above, ostriches sometimes get the best of predators using their powerful kicks, BUT they're also often killed by predators. Sometimes they can escape simply by running, as these birds can run at up to 43 miles per hour (69 km/hr).
Photo Credits:
- Ostrich feet - DepositPhotos
July 3, 2022
Awesome Animal Fact - Zombie Cockroaches
Awesome Animal Fact:
Did you know the jewel wasp has a habit of turning cockroaches into zombies? The jewel wasp, which lives in Africa and Asia, has beautiful metallic blue and green colors, but many people find its zombification of cockroaches to be rather macabre. I find it to be totally awesome.
So, how exactly does the wasp do this? It all starts with the wasp looking for a host cockroach to lay an egg on. Jewel wasps are specifically adapted to using cockroaches, so no other insect will be suitable. When the wasp comes upon a nice, juicy cockroach, it attacks the much larger insect and injects a neurotoxin. This substance blocks the release of a certain chemical in the cockroach's ganglia (its brain) that normally gives the cockroach the motivation to run away and escape. The neurotoxin kicks in quickly. The roach remains fully functional except that it has lost its free will. For some reason, it follows the wasp wherever the wasp leads it.
As you can probably guess, the wasp walks to its nest, and the cockroach follows it there, unable to do otherwise. Once in the nest, the wasp lays a single egg on the roach's body. Then it goes out to collect a bunch of pebbles to build a barrier around the cockroach to protect the egg. After that, it goes out to search for another cockroach to zombify.
The egg hatches after two days, and the wasp larva feeds on the cockroach's body. Amazingly, the larva first feeds on all the body parts and fluids that the roach can still stay alive without. Only when all the organs and "blood" (called hemolymph) are gone will the wasp larva consume the roach's nervous system, finally killing it.
It's not over yet, though. The wasp larva lines the inside if the cockroach body with an antimicrobial secretion. For the next month, the larva remains inside the hollowed-out body as it transforms into an adult wasp. Finally, the adult wasp bursts out of the "cocoon" (alien-style) and begins the entire life cycle all over again.
Below is a jewel wasp attacking a cockroach.
Photo Credits:
- Jewel wasp with cockroach - DepositPhotos
Did you know the jewel wasp has a habit of turning cockroaches into zombies? The jewel wasp, which lives in Africa and Asia, has beautiful metallic blue and green colors, but many people find its zombification of cockroaches to be rather macabre. I find it to be totally awesome.
So, how exactly does the wasp do this? It all starts with the wasp looking for a host cockroach to lay an egg on. Jewel wasps are specifically adapted to using cockroaches, so no other insect will be suitable. When the wasp comes upon a nice, juicy cockroach, it attacks the much larger insect and injects a neurotoxin. This substance blocks the release of a certain chemical in the cockroach's ganglia (its brain) that normally gives the cockroach the motivation to run away and escape. The neurotoxin kicks in quickly. The roach remains fully functional except that it has lost its free will. For some reason, it follows the wasp wherever the wasp leads it.
As you can probably guess, the wasp walks to its nest, and the cockroach follows it there, unable to do otherwise. Once in the nest, the wasp lays a single egg on the roach's body. Then it goes out to collect a bunch of pebbles to build a barrier around the cockroach to protect the egg. After that, it goes out to search for another cockroach to zombify.
The egg hatches after two days, and the wasp larva feeds on the cockroach's body. Amazingly, the larva first feeds on all the body parts and fluids that the roach can still stay alive without. Only when all the organs and "blood" (called hemolymph) are gone will the wasp larva consume the roach's nervous system, finally killing it.
It's not over yet, though. The wasp larva lines the inside if the cockroach body with an antimicrobial secretion. For the next month, the larva remains inside the hollowed-out body as it transforms into an adult wasp. Finally, the adult wasp bursts out of the "cocoon" (alien-style) and begins the entire life cycle all over again.
Below is a jewel wasp attacking a cockroach.
Photo Credits:
- Jewel wasp with cockroach - DepositPhotos
June 29, 2022
Awesome Animal Fact - Tall Giraffes
Did you know giraffes are the tallest land animals in the world? A giraffe's legs, at 6 feet (1.8m) tall, are taller than most people. And that neck! The neck alone is another six feet. Put all this height together, along with the height of the body, and male giraffes stand almost 19 feet (5.8 m) tall. This gives them access to yummy leaves that are out of reach for most other African herbivores. Acacia leaves are their favorites. Acacias have nasty thorns, but giraffes can use their incredible, 18-inch (46 cm) tongues to grab the leaves without getting prickled. Giraffes eat about 75 pounds (34 kg) of leaves per day to fuel their massive bodies.
Being the tallest animal has its challenges. For example, pushing blood all the way up to a head that's almost in the stratosphere requires a massive heart with thick, muscular walls. The giraffe's heart is 2 feet (61 cm) long and weighs 25 pounds (11 kg). Um... a 25-pound heart is the size of 50 human hearts.
There is also the problem of getting a drink of water. To get their mouth to the surface of a pond or stream, giraffes have to spread their front legs wide in an awkward position. This position makes them vulnerable to predators, so it's a good thing (for the giraffe) they only need to drink once every few days. They get most of the water they need from the leaves they eat. They spend so much time eating that they sleep only 5 to 30 minutes per day, broken up into 1-to-2-minute naps, which they often do standing up.
There's also the problem of giving birth. Giraffes do everything standing up, including giving birth. This means that a giraffe calf's first experience out in the world is a five-foot fall onto the ground! Welcome to your life, kid.
Here's something that will blow your mind. Even with that 6-foot neck, giraffe's only have seven neck vertebrae, the same number that humans have. Each giraffe neck bone is about twenty times longer than a human neck bone.
Photo Credits:
- Giraffe with calf - DepositPhotos
Being the tallest animal has its challenges. For example, pushing blood all the way up to a head that's almost in the stratosphere requires a massive heart with thick, muscular walls. The giraffe's heart is 2 feet (61 cm) long and weighs 25 pounds (11 kg). Um... a 25-pound heart is the size of 50 human hearts.
There is also the problem of getting a drink of water. To get their mouth to the surface of a pond or stream, giraffes have to spread their front legs wide in an awkward position. This position makes them vulnerable to predators, so it's a good thing (for the giraffe) they only need to drink once every few days. They get most of the water they need from the leaves they eat. They spend so much time eating that they sleep only 5 to 30 minutes per day, broken up into 1-to-2-minute naps, which they often do standing up.
There's also the problem of giving birth. Giraffes do everything standing up, including giving birth. This means that a giraffe calf's first experience out in the world is a five-foot fall onto the ground! Welcome to your life, kid.
Here's something that will blow your mind. Even with that 6-foot neck, giraffe's only have seven neck vertebrae, the same number that humans have. Each giraffe neck bone is about twenty times longer than a human neck bone.
Photo Credits:
- Giraffe with calf - DepositPhotos
June 24, 2022
Awesome Animal Fact - Noisy Whales
Awesome Animal Fact:
Did you know whales are the loudest animals on Earth? In a previous post I explained that an insect called the water boatman is the loudest animal for its size. But what about the loudest animal overall, looking only at pure decibels? Well, the answer isn't that straightforward... it could be the blue whale, or it could be the sperm whale, depending on how you look at it.
I'll explain. In pure decibels, the blue whale can produce sounds at an amazing 180 decibels. For reference, a jet engine is at a deafening 140 decibels. In humans, prolonged exposure to any sound over 85 decibels results in hearing loss. So, the blue whale is really loud.
However, the sperm whale has been shown to create sounds at 233 decibels, the loudest sound ever measured from any animal.
So, why isn't the sperm whale the clear winner? Because the intensity of a decibel is dependent on how we perceive the sound, relative to its frequency measured in hertz. In humans, our hearing threshold is different for sounds of different frequencies. Blue whales make low, drawn-out moans that can travel up to 1,000 miles (1,600 km) under water. In contrast, sperm whales make brief clicks, used for echolocation. This echolocation ability is impressive, sometimes detecting squid up to a mile away, but the sounds don't travel nearly as far as blue whale moans.
A blue whale's calls are low frequency, only 20 hertz, so low that humans can't even hear the sounds until they get above 70 decibels. A sperm whale's clicks are at a much higher frequency, at 10,000 hertz, and humans can hear them at only 15 decibels. Not only that, blue whale moans last 20 to 30 seconds, whereas sperm whale clicks last only 100 microseconds.
Below is a sperm whale.
Photo Credits:
- Sperm whale - DepositPhotos
Did you know whales are the loudest animals on Earth? In a previous post I explained that an insect called the water boatman is the loudest animal for its size. But what about the loudest animal overall, looking only at pure decibels? Well, the answer isn't that straightforward... it could be the blue whale, or it could be the sperm whale, depending on how you look at it.
I'll explain. In pure decibels, the blue whale can produce sounds at an amazing 180 decibels. For reference, a jet engine is at a deafening 140 decibels. In humans, prolonged exposure to any sound over 85 decibels results in hearing loss. So, the blue whale is really loud.
However, the sperm whale has been shown to create sounds at 233 decibels, the loudest sound ever measured from any animal.
So, why isn't the sperm whale the clear winner? Because the intensity of a decibel is dependent on how we perceive the sound, relative to its frequency measured in hertz. In humans, our hearing threshold is different for sounds of different frequencies. Blue whales make low, drawn-out moans that can travel up to 1,000 miles (1,600 km) under water. In contrast, sperm whales make brief clicks, used for echolocation. This echolocation ability is impressive, sometimes detecting squid up to a mile away, but the sounds don't travel nearly as far as blue whale moans.
A blue whale's calls are low frequency, only 20 hertz, so low that humans can't even hear the sounds until they get above 70 decibels. A sperm whale's clicks are at a much higher frequency, at 10,000 hertz, and humans can hear them at only 15 decibels. Not only that, blue whale moans last 20 to 30 seconds, whereas sperm whale clicks last only 100 microseconds.
Below is a sperm whale.
Photo Credits:
- Sperm whale - DepositPhotos
June 21, 2022
Awesome Animal Fact - Tireless Albatross
Did you know the grey-headed albatross can circle the globe in only 46 days? British scientists attached sensors to 47 grey-headed albatrosses, then they were able to recapture 22 of the birds when they returned to their breeding area 18 months later. The scientists examined the data, which told the detailed story of the birds' travels. Some of the birds stayed in the area, but 12 of them headed east and circled the entire globe. Amazingly, three of them circled the globe twice!
The fastest circumnavigation was 46 days. That's 14,000 miles in only 46 days! The typical daily flight for the birds was 600 miles.
This information could be important in helping governments around the world develop conservation strategies for albatrosses. After all, 19 of the 21 species are threatened with extinction.
Photo Credits:
- Gray-headed albatross - DepositPhotos
The fastest circumnavigation was 46 days. That's 14,000 miles in only 46 days! The typical daily flight for the birds was 600 miles.
This information could be important in helping governments around the world develop conservation strategies for albatrosses. After all, 19 of the 21 species are threatened with extinction.
Photo Credits:
- Gray-headed albatross - DepositPhotos
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